Paul D Stewart / Woodcut of Medditeranean Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) by Conrad Gesner Woodcut. From 'Icones Animalium' 1560.

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut illustration of dolphin's placenta, skull and birth by Gesner. Gesner 'Icones Animalium', 1560. Generally animals were grouped by habitat, so dolphins were thought of as fish. However Gesner d...

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut by Gesner 'Icones Animalium', 1560. Gesner and his contemporaries believed marine mammals were fish based on habitat. However Gesner did note that unlike fish they have no scales, give birth a...

Paul D Stewart / European bison (Bison bonasus) Gesner Woodcut from 'Icones Animalium' 1560.Vulnerable species.

Paul D Stewart / Historical illustration of Reindeer, from woodcut from Icones Animalium by Gesner, 1560.

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut illustration of Wolverine (Gulo gulo) or Glutton, squeezing between trees to defecate before resuming feeding. From Conrad Gesner's 'Icones Animalium' published by Christof Froschover, Zurich,...

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut illustration of European wolf (Canis lupus). From Conrad Gesner's 'Icones Animalium' published by Christof Froschover, Zurich, 1560.

Paul D Stewart / Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) portrait detail from a woodcut with old colouring. Conrad Gesner 'Icones Animalium' publ. Christof Froschover, Zurich, 1560. Gesner's artist catches the perceived intelligent a...

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut of Common electric ray (Torpedo torpedo) with old colouring. From Conrad Gesner's 'Icones Animalium' publ. Christof Froschover, Zurich, 1560. The torpedo or electric ray had been well know by...

Paul D Stewart / Three toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) From Conrad Gesner's 'Icones Animalium' published by Christof Froschover, Zurich, 1560. This strange animal is derived from an early Spanish conquistador image r...

Paul D Stewart / Illustration of Sea Serpents from Gessner's 'Historia Animalium', volume 4, 1558. Later hand colouring. Gessner's accounts included creatures which exist, and creatures which we now know do not. There...

Paul D Stewart / Illustration of Sea Serpents from Gesner's 'Historia Animalium', volume 4, 1558. Later hand colouring. Italic marginalia by contemporary scholar. Gessner's accounts included creatures which exist, and...